1956 Map of Boston

About this map

The Merrimack River and Charles River define the industrial and residential corridors of this mid-century New England landscape. Heavily urbanized hubs like Boston, Worcester, and Lowell appear at a peak of post-war density, interconnected by the established routes of the Boston & Maine RR and the burgeoning suburban network of Mass. 128. This 1956 survey captures the region just as the interstate era was reshaping travel, evidenced by the prominence of major air installations such as Hanscom AFB and Weymouth Nas. To the north, the Unconoonuc Mountains rise near Manchester, while the coastal landscape remains dominated by the Massachusetts Bay and the recently established Cape Cod National Seashore. The map preserves the footprint of several state forests and military reserves, including Fort Devens Mil Res, reflecting a landscape balanced between dense metropolitan growth and preserved wilderness.